Protesters raise their fists in demonstration during a speech by UC President Janet Napolitano at the University of California's National Summit on Undocumented Students in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 7, 2015. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

UC President Janet Napolitano stands silently as she is interrupted by protesters during a speech at the University of California's National Summit on Undocumented Students in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 7, 2015. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

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After protesters had walked out during her speech, UC President Janet Napolitano finishes her comments at the University of California's National Summit on Undocumented Students in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 7, 2015. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

"Alexis Buz, a student at UC San Diego, raises his fist in demonstration during a speech by UC President Janet Napolitano at the University of California's National Summit on Undocumented Students in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 7, 2015. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)"

OAKLAND >> The University of California’s National Summit on Undocumented Students started going sideways seconds after UC President Janet Napolitano stepped to the podium to make her opening remarks Thursday morning.

As Napolitano greeted the 260 attendees from across the nation who came to share ideas on admitting, retaining and supporting students who lack legal immigration status, dozens of undocumented students around the room suddenly stood and raised their fists in the air.

“We are not here to simply fill your seats for your political gain,” said one.

“We demand that you listen to us,” said another.

“You cannot make decisions … about our lives without knowing our personal struggles,” said a third.

Several others spoke in turn, and then all of them walked out, leaving Napolitano to speak to a room left one-third empty.

“You will be heard and are being heard on a regular basis,” she said. “Our goal at the University of California is to do all we can for undocumented students.”

The students who left the room went to a nearby corridor to caucus and plan on what they hoped to accomplish in the conference’s breakout sessions on career and professional development, civic engagement and community involvement, financial aid and support services, and immigration legal services and support.

But their mistrust level remained high, as many key student and faculty leaders on these issues weren’t invited to the conference at all.

“It was very exclusive, the nomination process was not open to every (undocumented) student,” said Ciclady Rodriguez, 21, a UC Berkeley media-studies major.

And Napolitano herself — who as Homeland Security secretary presided over almost 1.5 million deportations — remains a polarizing figure.

“How are students supposed to feel welcomed?” asked Alexis Buz, 21, an ethnic studies and public health major at UC San Diego. “We are not satisfied with her presence … and the little Band-Aid solutions she has made.”

Napolitano met with students soon after taking the job in September 2013, and that October announced $5 million to provide more resources to undocumented students. And Gov. Jerry Brown last year signed into law a loan program in which undocumented students at UC and California State University can borrow directly from the schools, since they’re not allowed to take federal loans.

But students say any kind of loan is risky, given that their Deferred Action for Childhood Action (DACA) protection from deportation is by executive order and so could be revoked. They would rather see more resources for grants, scholarships, internships and work study.

Judy Sakaki, UC’s vice president of student affairs, said the summit’s organizers were unfazed by the students’ demonstration.

“This is all a part of the process,” she said. “There are many strong feelings about this, so this is not unexpected.”

Sakaki said organizers tried to leave it to the undocumented-student coordinators on each campus to decide who to invite to the summit. “The plan was to be as inclusive as we could … and we wish we could’ve had more students,” she said, but that might have interfered with the small-scale breakout session discussions around which the whole event is centered.

UC is “trying really hard” to listen and respond to undocumented students’ needs, she said.